[Request for Reconsideration of Denied Protest Against Air Force Contract Award for Wing Tips]

B-225685.2: Sep 29, 1987

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A firm requested reconsideration of its denied protest against an Air Force contract award to another firm for aircraft wing tips. The protester had contended that the Air Force improperly decided not to issue it a copy of the solicitation because it had not produced the wing tips for 5 years and was not eligible for a required waiver of first-article testing. GAO had held that the Air Force's failure to provide a copy of the solicitation was a procedural defect which did not affect the procurement's validity. In its request for reconsideration, the protester contended that: (1) it had continued to produce items similar to the wing tips; and (2) the Air Force had not rejected its first-article wing tip under a previous contract. GAO held that the: (1) Air Force properly determined that the protester was ineligible for waiver, since it discontinued production of wing tips for an extended period of time; and (2) protester failed to show any legal or factual error in the original decision. Accordingly, the original decision was affirmed.